Fear
by Elycat
Summary: By day he lives with no regrets, and yet in dreams they torment him...


_A/N - Yeah, another angsty Chase-centric oneshot. X3 I might write something longer about him, I dunno... but my other fic WILL be continued. This is just an idea I've had for a while and felt like writing down._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown. If I did, I would have made a fourth season... -sighs unhappily- _

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"Ugh. How can you stand to just _sit_ there?" Wuya swooped up and down the room angrily, glaring at Chase Young all the while. The ghostly witch did a somersault in frustration. "While you laze around, the Xiaolin monks grow stronger! We must do something! A Shen-Gong-Wu will probably reveal itself soon, and then…"

"Quit your complaining, Wuya," Chase said, not opening his eyes. "You should be grateful I allowed you to join me. If you wish to continue on your pointless quest for Shen-Gong-Wu, then go and join that pathetic fool Spicer."

"But…"

"Silence." Chase's voice was quiet but, as always, commanding. "Leave me alone and I shall tell you my plan, when the time is right. _If_ you are lucky."

Chase allowed himself a slight smile as Wuya stormed from the room. His plan was flawless, and finally he would be able to attain his goal. The Ying Yo-Yo would reveal itself soon, he could feel it… and then…! Yes, everything was going as he intended. Nothing could be better.

His smile faded as a sudden feeling of unease prickled in the back of his mind. Why, then? There was something, something not quite right… something that _bothered_ him. He held his breath, concentrating; but just as he was about to take hold of the thought, it vanished. Ah, well. Such things could wait. He rose to his feet and left the room. It was quite late; and despite his power and immortality, he still retained the basic need of sleep.

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Chase was dreaming; he knew that, and yet the knowledge could not take away that elusive, unfamiliar feeling: happiness. As he sparred with his opponent, he laughed; so did the other. Suddenly his adversary disarmed him with a complicated twist, throwing him onto his back, but Chase felt no anger as the other man held out his hand to help him up. Dashi was quite talented, after all; he couldn't expect to defeat someone like him…

Then he was standing near a river, watching those who sat beside it. The woman Kaiyo smiled and called out cheerfully in greeting. Chase smiled also and stepped into the river, wading and feeling the cool rush of water against his legs. Then Kaiyo's companion, Guan, reached over and splashed at the warrior playfully. Chase laughed and splashed back. Kaiyo shielded herself with an arm to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, her silver laughter ringing out at their antics. The three of them felt some unbreakable bond, some tie of camaraderie that failed any attempt at description or definition. They simply _were;_ and that was how it was meant to be. The warmth Chase felt in their presence went beyond any fire; for the first time in centuries he felt their friendship warm his soul. His soul…

Everything else faded away as he met Kaiyo's eyes. Her smile lit up her face as she reached out to him, and he went forward, ready to take her in his arms; but everything was wrong… Darkness overshadowed them, and Kaiyo cried out. Chase lunged forward, ready to tear apart the thing that was hurting her, desperate to go to her side; but was stopped in his tracks by some invisible wall. A voice whispered near his ear, weaving a thin thread of sly deceit – _you can be immortal… your heart's desire… whatever you want… _He struggled to tear himself away from the entanglement, and to his horror felt himself changing… transforming… green scales, silver claws… Dimly, he saw Kaiyo fall to the ground and lie still. An anguished cry of pain and grief burst from him—

Chase's eyes opened and he lay still in bed, panting, still partially gripped by the terror of his dream. He tried to remember what it was he had been so afraid of, but it was already slipping away… dimly he recalled images, faces… but he had lost it again. He turned over onto his side, closing his eyes and slowing his breathing. He was invincible; he feared nothing… nothing except… except…

How was it, then, that these dreams could evoke such terror? _If I could only remember… what it is I fear… perhaps I could… _The last of the thought was lost as Chase slipped once more into a fitful, dreamless sleep.


End file.
